Carissa considers all of Canada to be her home. She has toured the country extensively, performing recitals for Debut Atlantic and as the winner of the 2009 Eckhardt-Grammatté National Music Competition with Canadian pianist Philip Chiu. Carissa has been featured at both the Ottawa Chamberfest, Montreal Chamber Music Festivals, and Toronto Summer Music. Carissa performs with many chamber groups in the Montreal/Ottawa area, including Ensemble Mooncrest, Warhol Dervish, and Portmantô. She spent much of 2014 performing with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, whom she joined for a series of tours and recordings, including a residency at The Banff Centre.

Carissa grew up in the small prairie city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Still active in the prairie music scene today, Carissa is an Artistic Director of the Ritornello Chamber Music Festival, an annual event that aims to provide Saskatchewan audiences the opportunity to hear innovative, fresh concerts performed by young, engaging Canadian musicians who are currently pursuing professional careers across the country and around the globe.

Carissa is the lead singer and violinist in the Ukrainian band Тут і Там (pronounced Toot ee Tahm). Established in 2003, the band has recorded three albums, performed at the Toronto, Montreal, Dauphin, and Vegreville Ukrainian festivals as well as in Sydney, Australia. The band is currently working on a new album to be released in the summer of 2015.

Carissa has taught violin and chamber music at McGill University where she also recently completed a doctorate in violin performance, focusing on the little-known violin repertoire by Ukrainian composers. Her recent recordings include chamber works of the Second Viennese school with Gruppo Montebello and Pierrot Lunaire with Ensemble Mooncrest. She will be releasing a recording of duos with Philip Chiu in 2015. When not performing, rehearsing, or traveling, Carissa can be found expanding her love of coffee in some little café, somewhere...

Today, my good friend Julia MacLaine and I performed at the very first Ottawa Chamberfest City Series concert, playing some Bartok, Honegger, Schulhoff, and a bunch of folk music! This is a really incredible thing Chamberfest is starting: chamber music concerts in the big open space in Ottawa City Hall. Many more of these cool noon-hour concerts coming up – be sure to check them out!

While in rehearsals the first NACO WolfGANG Session, a few of us were asked to speak about it on camera – and as per usual, I found myself on screen. You can also see and hear bits of our performance of Ryan Lott’s Beautiful Mechanical at the February 14th concert. Check it out!

I was recently featured in an article in New Pathway (Новий Шлях) – Ukrainian Weekly Newspaper written by my friend and creative kindred spirit Stephanie Turenko. She interviewed me after a recent NACO trip to Toronto, just before our very first WolfGANG Sessions chamber concert – a sort of “Day in the life” thing… Click on the screenshot below to have a read!

While performing with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, I had the unique opportunity to play on their most recently released recording project: Richard Tognetti and ACO play Vivaldi – The 4 Seasons. The recording was made to celebrate the ACO’s 40th anniversary, and features many of Vivaldi’s iconic concerti, including Le Quattro Stagioni, Op.8 Nos 1-4, Largo from Concerto in D major, RV 226, Concerto in B minor, RV 580, Concerto in A minor, RV 356, Grave from Concerto in D major, RV 562, and the Sinfonia from La Verita in Cimento, RV 739. Check it out!

AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, Vivaldi: The 4 Seasons
Bis Records

The ACO is currently touring the concert, which features an amazing Australian Oud player. More info in the video:

My Ukrainian party band, Tyt i Tam (pronounced Toot Ee Tahm), keeps a busy schedule in the month of January, playing Malanka (Ukrainian New Year) celebrations all around the country. On the January 9th, we played in Toronto at a Pub Night before the main event on January 10th at Liberty Grand. Both events were so much fun!

We also managed to get some video of our set – here’s one of our songs that will come out on our upcoming 2015 release, called Медове пиво – Щедрий Вечір (Honey Beer), a traditional Shchedrivka(New Year’s Carol). Enjoy!

I’m so pleased and excited to announce that I’ve finished recording my first full-length album, partnering once more with my good friend Philip Chiu!

Phew! Finished 3 days of serious concentration. Beer time!

The recording, which features music by Debussy, Janacek, and Canadian composers Vivier, Carrabré, and Willan, was finished over a three-day period in Montreal at Concordia University’s Oscar Peterson Hall. The magnificent Jeremy Tusz (of Diapason Mobile) was at the helm, assisted by Paul Scriver. The four of us are pictured above, just after the final session ended. (Phew!)

I’ll be posting updates as this project develops – I’m very excited to share this with you all! Wishing you all a very restful and fulfilling holiday stretch. May you eat great food surrounded by friends and family!

We had a great time performing at Toronto’s Gallery 345 last Tuesday, December 9th. It’s a wonderful space to play in – I hope to be back again soon! Our concert was also featured as one of Musical Toronto‘s Critic’s Picks. I’m getting really excited for this recording!

I’m thrilled to let you all know that I’ll be recording an album with Philip Chiu, performing sonatas by Leos Janacek, Claude Debussy, and Healey Willan, and shorter pieces by Pat Carrabré and Claude Vivier.

I’m currently on the road with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, touring England and Scotland to commemorate the 100th anniversary of WWI. To date, we’ve performed in Edinburgh and Nottingham, and last night we performed a joint concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir which culminated in a boisterous rendition of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

Oh yes, and HRH Prince Charles was in attendance :)

My many MANY tour photos will come at a later date, but for now, here’s a little clip from the 4th movement, the “Ode to Joy”:

Off to Salisbury tomorrow, where we will perform in the renowned Cathedral. That performance will be broadcast on CBC Radio 2 on November 9th and 11th, and on CBC Television sometime during the holiday season. Stay tuned!

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Upcoming Performances

Carissa performs with the National Arts Centre Orchestra; their performances are listed here.Upcoming Performances